Independents

Pac-10 Power Rankings: Bears are Golden again

<p><strong>1. (Last week: 2) California (Record: 13-6, 5-2 Pac-10; RPI rank: 26)<br>
Recent results:</strong> Beat Oregon State 65-61; beat Oregon 89-57.<br>
Cal is back on top of the rankings and that's not a great thing. No team has stayed here longer than a week. ... Tonight begins the toughest stretch of the season for the Golden Bears, which plays the next two weeks on the road. They begin in Arizona this week and travel to Los Angeles next week for games at USC and UCLA. If Cal goes 3-1 in this stretch, it might sew up the Pac-10 title race.<br>
<strong>Up next:</strong> Thursday at Arizona State; Saturday at Arizona.</p>
<p><strong>2. (1) Arizona State (14-6, 4-3; 81)<br>
Recent results:</strong> Lost 77-58 to Ariz.<br>
Five teams are log jammed at No. 2 in the Pac-10 with three losses. It's difficult to overlook last week's home defeat to an in-state rival, but it was ASU's first bad game in two weeks. ... Not sure if the Sun Devils will win too many games without junior G <strong>Jamelle McMillan,</strong> who has missed the past two games because of plantar fasciitis. With McMillan, ASU shoots 45.6 percent from the field and opponents are 39.1 percent. Without McMillan, ASU is shooting .368 <strong>percent, opponents .488. <br>
Up next:</strong> Thur. vs. Cal; Sat. vs. Stan.</p>
<p><strong>3. (7) USC (12-7, 4-3; 63)<br>
Recent results:</strong> Beat UW 87-61; Lost to WSU 67-60.<br>
Thumping the Huskies, doesn't make them world beaters. Keep in mind, this is the same team that lost at Stanford and blew a 15-point second half lead at home to WSU. Still the Trojans have the best front line in the conference and they have a defense that travels. On the road, opponents average 63.0 points, which is the fewest in the Pac-10. USC has allowed opponents 37.3 percent shooting from the field, the lowest mark in the conference since Stanford in 1999-2000.<br>
<strong>Up next:</strong> Thur. at OSU; Sat. at Ore.</p>
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1. (Last week: 2) California (Record: 13-6, 5-2 Pac-10; RPI rank: 26) Recent results: Beat Oregon State 65-61; beat Oregon 89-57. Cal is back on top of the rankings and that's not a great thing. No team has stayed here longer than a week. ... Tonight begins the toughest stretch of the season for the Golden Bears, which plays the next two weeks on the road. They begin in Arizona this week and travel to Los Angeles next week for games at USC and UCLA. If Cal goes 3-1 in this stretch, it might sew up the Pac-10 title race. Up next: Thursday at Arizona State; Saturday at Arizona.

2. (1) Arizona State (14-6, 4-3; 81) Recent results: Lost 77-58 to Ariz. Five teams are log jammed at No. 2 in the Pac-10 with three losses. It's difficult to overlook last week's home defeat to an in-state rival,...

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